IMDb > An American Crime (2007)
An American Crime
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An American Crime (2007) More at IMDbPro »

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An American Crime (2007) -- The true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s.
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Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   7,141 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Tommy O'Haver
Writers (WGA):
Tommy O'Haver (written by) &
Irene Turner (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for An American Crime on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 December 2007 (Sweden) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
This has been the most terrible crime ever committed in the state of Indiana more
Plot:
The true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(38 articles)
Showtime Signs Shameless Pilot
 (From BuzzFocus.com. 15 October 2009, 10:37 AM, PDT)

Ellen Page dismisses "dark" film reputation
 (From digitalspy. 4 October 2009, 10:22 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Shocking, Repulsive...and Fascinating more (74 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Ellen Page ... Sylvia Likens

Hayley McFarland ... Jennifer Faye 'Jennie' Likens

Nick Searcy ... Lester Likens

Romy Rosemont ... Betty Likens

Catherine Keener ... Gertrude Baniszewski

Ari Graynor ... Paula Baniszewski

Scout Taylor-Compton ... Stephanie Baniszewski
Tristan Jarred ... Johnny Baniszewski

Hannah Leigh Dworkin ... Shirley Baniszewski

Bradley Whitford ... Prosecutor Leroy K. New

Michael O'Keefe ... Reverend Bill Collier

Carlie Westerman ... Marie Baniszewski

Michelle Benes ... Hope Orbach
Patricia Place ... Mrs. Doyle
Calvin Keet ... Mr. Doyle
more
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Basement (USA) (working title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong and disturbing depiction of child abuse and torture.
Runtime:
97 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Filming Locations:
Los Angeles, California, USA

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Catherine Keener originally turned down the role of Gertrude Baniszewski, however after she couldn't get the story out of her head she met with director Tommy O'Haver and agreed to do the film. more
Goofs:
Continuity: At one point during a punishment scene, the shot changes to the neighbors outside, and a fan is visible in an open window. The shot returns to the same view a moment later, but the window is closed, the curtains are drawn, and no fan is visible. more
Quotes:
Shirley Baniszewski: Don't worry Jennie. Mamma's just teaching her. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2009) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Tell the World About This more

FAQ

Did any of those involved ever express remorse?
Is Sylvia's sister Jenny still alive?
Is there anything shown after the credits?
more
9 out of 12 people found the following comment useful.
Shocking, Repulsive...and Fascinating, 26 May 2008
8/10
Author: gradyharp from United States

AN American CRIME is a problematic little reenactment of a real criminal case of child abuse dating back to 1965. The story is horrifying and while the film places the facts in our faces, the impact of the film is out of focus. This is due to the script that elects to glaze over the motivational aspects of a brutal crime in favor of attempting to investigate fully the mindset of both the perpetrator and the victims. Were it not for some sterling performances by Catherine Keener and Ellen Page this film might be easily dismissed: the strength of these actresses to overcome a weak script and manage to involve us is much to their credit as artists.

Indiana, 1965, and Gertrude Baniszewski (Catherine Keener) is a 'borderline' single mother of several children who is asked to take care of Sylvia (Ellen Page) and Jennie Likens (Hayley McFarland) while the girls parents remain on the road as carnies, promising to send checks to help support their farmed out children. Gertrude is a woman of loose morals who adds babies to her large family during liaisons with young men like the itinerant Dennis (James Franco). Gertrude takes in laundry to support her household and requires her young children to work toward the same goal. A friction develops between Sylvia and Jenny and the children by Gertrude's illicit adventures as well as covert sexual similarities surfacing in her children and at 'family meetings' Gertrude doles out punishment for Sylvia - punishment including cigarette burns, coke bottle insertions, branding etc. - all of which are undeserved and eventually lead to Sylvia's imprisonment in the basement where Gertrude and her children and their friends daily torture Sylvia. Eventually Sylvia dies and Gertrude and family are brought to court for charges of first-degree murder and variations thereof. The court proceedings (under the leadership of lawyer Leroy K. New played by Bradley Whitford) provide the story drivers as each allegation is then acted out by flashbacks until the verdicts are reached.

Catherine Keener is superb as the deranged, maladaptive Gertrude and Ellen Page adds yet another feather to her cap in a role that in another actor's hands could have been over the top. Writer/director Tommy O'Haver (the script was written with the aid of Irene Turner) does manage to show us the facts of this atrocity yet fails to go inside the characters to give us the psychobiographies this film has the potential for illuminating. It may well repel some viewers, but it does bring to the forefront a crime that is all too common in this country.

Grady Harp

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Can't bear to watch this movie a second time... xxcrazykamikazexxx
People in Indianapolis remembersylvia
girl next door? striken
horrifying new story moviequeen123
My new opinion. xerxerxex
Parole after only 20 years?! How is that justice? tictacjak
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